THE MAN was awakened by the sound of his alarm. He got up and stared at the naked girl beside him still nestled under the blanket.
He picked up his clothes from the floor and went straight to shower.
She can hear the water from the shower running. "He’s about to leave," she thought but she didn't have the strength to get up and if she managed to do that, what would she say to him?
She continued laying on the bed, till she heard the bathroom door open and felt that someone sat on the bed.
After a few minutes, he left. She continued her slumber and woke up around noon. She tried to get out of bed but her legs didn't work. They are aching and shaking, she felt like she just got off a spinner bike after several hours of riding.
Her head hurts due to a hangover, she can barely move her body. After an hour she finally had the energy to get up. She went straight to the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror.
Reminiscing what transpired last night her cheeks turned red. She saw the marks he left on her body, two visible hickeys on her neck, and a distinctive bite mark on her collarbone. The bruises he left on her legs and thighs when he held her.
She can feel her private parts swollen and it pains her but it’s all worth it.
She took a shower and then wore her clothes. She could see the markings they left on the sheets and it made her smile.
She then noticed a letter on the bedside table near her phone which she turned off when she went to the bar.
It reads;
See you again
+6 912345*6789011
–BLADE
"See you again?" His confidence level is extremely high. She grins and then leaves the room to check out.
On her way back to her apartment, she noticed that she was being followed by a black sedan. She quickly made a detour, walked faster, and entered different alleyways. After twenty minutes she lost the car. She knew who it was or who sent it. She's not scared but this is not the time to deal with him as she has something important to do.
She heaves a sigh of relief and leans into the dirty alley wall. She starts slouching till she's in a sitting position. Soon tears run down her cheeks. She covered her mouth to muffle her sound. Her tears are jovial and show signs of contentment.
Shortly, she dialed a number and a woman answered the phone;
"Hello? Miss Latton?"
"Last night, I slept with a man and I'm happy about it."
Without waiting for a response from the other line she disconnects the call.
MEANWHILE...
The man arrives at the office wearing the same shirt underneath his suit jacket and his friend John teases him and asks where he went last night.
He ignores John and goes on, on his busy exhausting day. During the meeting, he can’t stop looking at his phone as if waiting for something important.
His father notices him and stares at him coldly; he does not see his gaze but John, who is seated beside him does, and John discreetly nudges him in the elbow.
He saw his father's cold gaze full of scrutiny. He took his phone and put it in his pocket. The meeting went smoothly, after the meeting his father gestured him to go to his office and gave him the talk.
"Lucian, we have very important work to do, and it's all hands on deck. As the CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER (COO) and soon-to-be CEO I need your full undivided attention on this do you understand?"
Mr. Caldwell says with a hint of worry in his voice. Mr. Caldwell is in his 50s, and though his hair is black it is thinning and the stress from work is not helping his condition.
He looks at his father with pride in his eyes and says;
"Don’t worry I won’t let you down." He then patted his father's back and went out.
John saw him walk out of Mr. Caldwell's office; he then followed him to continue teasing him.
John followed him to his office which is on the opposite end of his father’s.
"Did you go to Malena?" He asks with eagerness in his tone. John is waiting for an answer like a child waiting for candy.
"No," he responds without looking at John, he’s busy reading through the documents on his table.
John then sighs in frustration. "So another random person in a bar then..." He added.
He’s about to leave and then remembers the behavior he saw in the meeting. "How about the girl you’re waiting to reach out to?" His eyes narrow while looking at him. He knew Lucian never gave his number to a girl he met in the bar.
Lucian put down the document he was reading, opened a drawer took a blank piece of paper, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it to John in a playful manner.
"Shut the fuck up!" He yells at him.
John did not budge and only laughed at him.
**DON'T FORGET TO ADD THE STORY ON YOUR LIBRARY #VOTE
Hey, Stranger! That became my readers. I can’t thank you enough for staying till the last chapter of the story.I always thought writing was not for me. I never thought I could gather readers, thanks for proving me wrong. :)Please follow my author account here at GN I might write another story soon. Dedication:For Simon for being an awesome author, your novel opened my eyes to the world of books. For Poncho, my English Bulldog for being a good boy. For my mother who’s my strongest fan and critic. My partner, who became my unwilling contributor for intimate scenes. Lastly, for my greatest adversary who kept on saying I can’t make it and I’m never enough A.K.A me. Sincerely, Latton RipleyThis is not a goodbye. It’s more of a see you later. :)=Mini Story=(Happens when Latton was in a coma)LUCIUS is running out of the lift thinking he is late for his first meeting with Caldwell Incorporated as C.O.O for Va-Yor-Ri Unlimited. When he opened the conference door only Lucian was in th
“A GIFT from Alison Gardner!” The man yelled before shooting her. The scene kept on playing in Latton’s head ever since she woke up, but she didn’t say anything. She let the police finish their investigation, but it resulted in nothing. Haunted by the reality that her words were useless without any evidence, she could only keep her silence and wait for the right time.CONCURRENTLY, At the Women's Penitentiary.In the middle of the night, Alison Gardner was escorted out of her prison cell to a corridor leading outside the prison in a spacious car."Finally freedom!" She screamed while breathing in the air in the car."Money well spent," she mumbles to herself."Good work you guys," she added, but no one replied to her. “I will pay you in full once I get out of the country.” She added.Shortly after, the car stopped in a secluded area. She frowns, “Why are we here? I thought you were going to smuggle me out of the country via plane?” She asks.The driver smirked, “Well, change of plans.”
AT THE Women's PenitentiaryAlison was smiling from ear to ear. She receives a letter from her friend that states the court granted temporary access to her money."I might not be able to get away from the law, but I can surely pay someone to bust me out and get back on everyone. Especially with that brat that sent me here." She said as she glanced at the prison guards. Observing which people she could bribe."You seem in a good mood, pumpkin," Sam commented.Alison nods. But she did not give any details as she didn't want Sam to escape with her. She wants to do it on her own.She's been in prison for more than a year, and she has met people far more powerful than Sam, and she wants to take advantage of them.MEANWHILE, Lucian felt a pit in his stomach.Drowning sorrow creeps all over his body. He could feel sweat forming around his forehead, palms, and neck. Followed by an unknown bump that wants to throw him out of his misery.Shortly after, someone tugs on his suit. Unwilling to open
(Continuation of CHAPTER 121 - June 19, 2026)~He is in the Maldives...destination wedding.~ This was Lucius' answer when Latton asked where Lucian was. These were the words that were tormenting her mind.It pained her that after all the things they'd been through, it all ended like this.Her heart is breaking knowing that he is there somewhere getting married in a beautiful place just 6 months after she was shot."Am I that easy to forget? He didn't even wait a year," She mumbled while replaying all the promises he had told her. Soon, the item on the spare bed caught her attention.It's the teddy bear she gave to Lucian and the scarf she made for him.Her thoughts were soon interrupted when Lucius entered with Xavier, who had just arrived from Ohio.Xavier smiled from ear to ear seeing her awake. "Latton," he called out, then gently held her hand.He could sense her sadness."What's with the sad look on your face? Aren't you happy to see me? Are you still mad?" He asks politely.She
DAYS had passed and Lucian seemed to get worse. He became overbearing, he called every hour to check on her. It is as if someone is out to get them.Latton couldn't take it anymore, but she knew too well that Lucian wouldn't tell her what it was.She needed to investigate it without raising any suspicions. She made a surprise visit to Caldwell Incorporated as it might be work-related. It's not. Caldwell Inc. was flourishing, standing stronger than ever. She witnesses on her visit how he buries himself at work while constantly checking on her."If you continue doing that you are going to get sick." She mumbled as she patted his back in concern.He smiles. "I'll be fine." He says as he kisses her hand. "Why don't you stay in the CEO's lounge? I'll finish this, and we'll have lunch together." He suggested.She nods. She could see that the dark circle in his eyes worsened, and it seemed he had lost weight over the week.She wanted to speak to him when, suddenly, someone knocked on the door
JOHN and VIVIAN's engagement party was a success. It was even featured in a local newspaper with the caption 'A decade of love story'."An inspiring love story for everyone to read." Malena mumbles while reading through the newspaper.Then an idea entered her mind, "What if I chose to be with Lucian instead of plotting revenge against him and his family? Would I be this happy?" She asks herself while staring at Vivian's smiling image in the newspaper.She starts laughing at her own thoughts. "Of course not. I'm merely a substitute for Shirley and most likely I won't even meet him if I didn't plan everything from the start." She says, then folds the newspaper and hides it in the drawer. "This time I will make things right," she mumbles.Then she started rummaging through her computer and soon began typing on her phone.MEANWHILE, at Lucian's Villa.Lucian was still having difficulty sleeping, even with Latton in his arms, he couldn't stop having nightmares about losing her.On the other